On Sunday 2 October the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra opened their 2022-23 Journeys of Discovery season in Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall with Music Director Vasily Petrenko.
Pianist Simon Trpčeski joined the Orchestra for Grieg's Piano Concerto in 'Awakening', a programme of three Romantic works which included Wagner's Faust Overture and Richard Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra.
Read on to view more photos from the evening.
All photos (c) Andy Paradise.
Vasily Petrenko introducing the concert by inviting the audience to consider the philosophical themes behind the series:
"Let me use this opportunity to welcome you to first concert of this season’s series, Journeys of Discovery. We will explore throughout this season all the journeys of the human spirit, all the emotions, all the music, all the ultimate obsessions, of the ecstasy, of transcendence, of dreams, of conflict and of freedom...
Zarathustra is a prophet who wanted to bring wisdom to the people, to awaken humanity, to how we can all live better. What are the real values of life? Is it after life? Is it here and how? What shall we do to make our lives valuable? It is a very modern question, it is a very relevant question. And I hope that by the end of this journey, you will find your own individual answers to all the questions of now, yesterday and tomorrow."
Wagner's Faust Overture, written in 1840, offers an interpetation of the evocative tale of Faust that is full of angst, despair and longing.
Macedonian pianist Simon Trpčeski performed Grieg's Piano Concerto, the work that established the Norwegian composer as a force to be reckoned with in the repertoire of nineteenth century Romanticism.
Simon played 'October' from Tchaikovsky's The Seasons for an encore.
The second half was Strauss' Also Sprach Zarathustra, a symphonic poem inspired by Nietzsche's philosophical treatise of the same name, which traces humanity's search for meaning and mediates on the values of religion, science and individualism.
On Sunday we also launched our brand new Journeys of Discovery Ludlow Gin, a London dry gin produced by Wardington's Originals.
RPO Music Director Vasily Petrenko and Shaun Ward founder of Ludlow Gin
Learn more about the story of the gin and purchase your limited edition bottles below.